Another Old Picture Tube TV & Pod Bite the Dust

[Petro]

We have wanted to replace the old TV (boat anchor) with a flat screen HD. We also wanted to get rid of the pod that houses the old TV. I than wanted a electric sun visor in the middle between the ones in front of the driver and the navigator.. We were able to get a slot at Winnebago in Forest City they agreed to do the project for me. They removed the old TV and cut out the framing in the old pod. They installed a new Vizio 32" flat screen. Fabricated a cover for the hole there that will allow me to get at the back of the TV if necessary. Winnebago also was able to match the other sun visors much to our delight. We are very happy with the service and professional job they did with the project. They were great people to work with, I am including 3 pictures of the project. The first is a picture of the TV with the sun visors lowered. The 2nd is a picture of the TV with the visors raised and the 3rd picture is the pack of the TV showing the new sun visor and the fabricated cover Winnebago made for me so I can access the back of the TV if necessary.

Don & Bev

[Davel]

Don and Bev,

Very nice installation. We were amazed at how much noise the old TV made that we didn't really know the source of. Linda even remarked at the quiet and she usually doesn't notice that as much as I do....

DSave

[codgerbill]

I have two question to ask (if you dont mind. that is).
What was the cost and how long did it take?
Did you just leave it until finished or did you get it back at the end of each work day and come back each day until it was finished?

[Petro]

Originally Posted by codgerbill

I have two question to ask (if you don't mind. that is).
What was the cost and how long did it take?
Did you just leave it until finished or did you get it back at the end of each work day and come back each day until it was finished?

I believe it took 2 days. I got the coach back on the morning of the 3rd day. Winnebago will bring it back to you at 3:30 PM each day so you can stay in it. At 3 PM they start putting things back together enough so the coach is livable and you must have it back to them at 7 AM the next morning and they have to undo what they just did the night before. If you do the math it is likely less costly to stay in a motel (which we did) and allow the shop an extra hour to work on your rig. It gave us more time to relax and have breakfast before we returned to the Customer Lounge usually around 8:30 AM.

We paid about $2900 which included TV, electric sun visor, fabricated hole cover, roof sealing, and labor. We feel the cost was fair considering we received professional service. This was our 2nd time in the WGO shop and we have always been pleased with their service. I highly recommend them for service.

Don

[codgerbill]

That is a very reasonable price. Last year at the GNR I had the roof resealed and the charge was $900. Based on your experience I am thinking sometime before or after the GNR next year of having the TV replaced.

[smlranger]

Don that looks great. Sounds like a fair price considering all that was done.

[CigarBoy]

Don, all I can say is WANT WANT WANT!! I have the same year, make, model as you and I've been wanting to replace that tv also. Now I know exactly what I want to do. Thank you.
Question though. Roof sealing? Why? Where?
Is there a make, model of that frame they used or is it custom?
Thanks.
Mike

[codgerbill]

With regards to the roof sealing.............

last year at the GNR we were having the factory work on the basement air. They called me and indicated that the sealant (the seal between the sidewalls and the roof done at the factory at the time of the original build) needed replacement. The seal had (I assume) over time dried up and shrunk. If I were to do the replacement myself I would have had to either do it off of a scaffold or from on the roof. The original seal would have been difficult to remove and then the area would need cleaning prior to a new seal being applied. I am sure that the top and sidewall construction are identical whether it is a gas or diesel chassis.

[Petro]

Originally Posted by CigarBoy

Don, all I can say is WANT WANT WANT!! I have the same year, make, model as you and I've been wanting to replace that tv also. Now I know exactly what I want to do. Thank you.
Question though. Roof sealing? Why? Where?
Is there a make, model of that frame they used or is it custom?
Thanks.
Mike

I took pictures of what I wanted it to look like to Winnebago and they fabricated it as they went along. Twice I was escorted back to the shop to look at their ideas to see if they met my expectations. Communication between the owner and the shop is very important so everyone is thinking alike. I believe now you can go to WGO and say I want a TV project to look like the Morgan's and they would have a good idea what's involved. I told the service advisor I wanted the roof joints inspected and repaired where ever they felt necessary.

Good Luck;

Don

[NLOVNIT]

Nice upgrade, Don! We replaced our 85lb CRT boat anchor with the same size LED Vizio you got, which, I think, weighs about 15lbs. I can now buy 70lbs more "stuff" & not effect my pre-LED GVWR.

Lori-

[01Itasca35B]

Hay , this TV replacement is not difficult. I just removed the old box from a Itasca 35 and installed a 32" digital. The old bracket is attached to the base mount holes in the TV and 2 hinges onto a cut down 2x4 across the TV space to the frame on each side. Headliner spray glued to plywood fills the space in the underside of the overhead. Nice storage space behind the flat screen. Oh, new digital antenna on the old roof mount. (less than $400.) Just bought a blue-ray player ($120.) to complete the entertainment center. The TV antenna amp and cables are used.

[cjlatour]

Petro,

The upgrade looks nice. A big improvement over the original set-up.